Rev susan Brown and FabioSusan with Ken Brown of Penicuik community council

Michelle talks to Mark and Marc project team

Sister RitaSister Rita and new friendsMichelle meets sister Rita

Church of Scotland Moderator visit - 5 October 2018

Rev Susan Brown with Michelle Ballantyne MSP, Sister Rita with St. Mungo's team

Food
Facts and Friends welcomed the Rt Rev Susan Brown to Penicuik St.
Mungo's church hall on Friday 5 October, to see for herself the good
work the foodbank and drop in centre provides those in need across
Midlothian.

Rev Susan Brown was returning to her home town of
Penicuik, Midlothian for the visit to Food, Facts and Friends
Foodbank, which is hosted in St Mungo's Parish Church Hall.

Not
only did she talk with clients, volunteers, councillors, and MSP, she
also rolled up her sleeves and helped pack food parcels for the clients
as they took a cup of coffee and talked with other clients also seeking
help and assistance.

Rev Susan Brown praised the tireless volunteers who give their time to help hard press families in the area, during this Challenge Poverty Week, and every week throughout the year.

You can hear Mark Wells explain the work of Food Facts Friends, Rev Susan Brown talk, Sister Rita from Manchester who opened the food bank back in June 2016, and the charity patron Michelle Ballantyne MSP. The
majority of volunteers are members of St. Mungo's who see it as
their Christian duty to reach out and assist people who are often on
the margins of society due to a range of often complex reasons.

Volunteers also signpost clients to the appropriate support services.

Audience gathering to hear the talks

The
event was attended by Michelle Ballantyne MSP, patron of the foodbank
charity, local councillor, Pauline Winchester and Peter Smaill, Provost
of Midlothian, along with Midlothian Councillors Joe Wallace and Debbi
McCall.